Product on Review: Razer BlackWidow Ultimate 2016
Manufacturer: Razer
Street Price: UK: £99.99, US: $109.99
The BlackWidow is a gaming keyboard that gamers everywhere, at some point, would have had a look at over the past 6 years. The Ultimate 2016 edition has had a complete overhaul in a ground up redesign that represents a more 'raw' edition to the BlackWidow series. What is meant by this, is that the backlighting is limited to 'Razer Green', though it now features the advanced lighting effects of the Chroma range. This version features Razer's custom 'green' switches that were originally a modified Kailh Blue switch, however, in our previous outing with the BlackWidow Chroma these switches were rated at 60million key strokes, here that number has been moved up to 80million. This could be down to a more refined production/process or control by Razer (see video below) thus giving a higher reliability rating.
The feature list of the BlackWidow 2016 reads as you would imagine, 10 key rollover, 1000hz ultrapolling and USB/audio pass through. Though there are some important yet subtle changes worth mentioning. Firstly, the appearance has changed. There is a green background under the keys and gone is that awful fingerprint/smudgy rubberise surface that has instead been replaced by a matt, anti-smudge coating. The audio pass through is now compatible with 4 pole jacks, providing compatibility with the growing trend of more universal gaming headsets.
Overview by Razer
The Razer BlackWidow Ultimate has been redesigned from the ground up with an all-new set of features, and is equipped with the multi-award winning Razer™ Mechanical Switches, the first and only mechanical switches designed specifically for gaming.
The biggest advancement to the latest edition of the Razer BlackWidow Ultimate is the introduction of the advanced lighting technology from the Chroma line in its individually backlit green LEDs that can each be customized through Razer’s Synapse software to display a range of unique lighting effects. Preset effects include Wave, Ripple, Reactive, Starlight and more. Gamers can also create their own lighting patterns via the advanced lighting effects configurator within Razer Synapse.
The biggest advancement to the latest edition of the Razer BlackWidow Ultimate is the introduction of the advanced lighting technology from the Chroma line in its individually backlit green LEDs that can each be customized through Razer’s Synapse software to display a range of unique lighting effects. Preset effects include Wave, Ripple, Reactive, Starlight and more. Gamers can also create their own lighting patterns via the advanced lighting effects configurator within Razer Synapse.
